Local currency accounts made simple – and cheap

If you’d ever tried to do business beyond the UK, you’ll know that cross-border payments can be a real headache. Slow. Expensive. Complicated. Well, not anymore. WorldFirst has a simple, quick and cheap solution – local currency accounts.

Whether you’re doing business in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore or Japan, our World Account removes one of the most stubborn barriers to international trade. In its place: a multi-currency platform that allows you to open accounts in multiple currencies and lets you make and receive payments in GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, CAD, JPY, SGD and NZD.

Time your FX to maximum advantage

With a local currency account, you have the power to move money when exchange rates work for you, not against you. If an exchange rate mean transferring money will give you a poor deal, leave it where it is and wait it out for a more advantageous time. It also works in reverse – rather fancy today’s exchange rate? Move your money now and use it later.

Avoid the cost of back-and-forth FX

Do you make and receive payments in the same foreign currency? Every time you move money from one currency to another, you lose a little bit – even at the best exchange rates. Keeping a local currency account eliminates the need for constant FX. Move you money only when you need to or you want to.

Create happier customers who buy more

Having a WorldFirst foreign currency account allows your customers to settle your invoices in their local currency, avoiding charges they would otherwise incur when making a cross-currency payment. That makes you more competitive and your customers happier – and what’s good for your customer is good for you.

Less admin, more control

You’ll find all your currency accounts in one place by logging into the World Account platform. Or for ultimate convenience, download our secure app to your smartphone or tablet.

Secure

The World Account platform is easy-to-use, but not at the expense of security. WorldFirst is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and we have years of experience on our side. Since 2004 we’ve processed more than £60bn for more than 160,000 ccustomers. But don’t just take our word for it – you can read reviews from real customers on impartial review site Feefo.

No hefty bank fees

Traditional banks often have eye-watering cross-border fees and poor exchange rates – it’s time you got back in the driving seat.

With World Account, there are no hidden charges, no set-up costs, and no monthly account fees either.

Who can benefit from WorldFirst’s local currency accounts?

It doesn’t matter how small your business is, World Account can make a difference if you do business overseas. Our local currency accounts are a loved by:

Importers/exporters

Online marketplace sellers

Anyone who’s ever tried to make a cross-border payment any other way

It is important to note, however, that World Account is only available to business customers.

Why are WorldFirst’s local currency accounts such game changers?

Quite simply because you no longer need a local bank account to do business abroad.

Ask any entrepreneur who’s ever tried to open a bank account overseas and they’ll tell you the same thing: it’s a slow and frustrating experience at best; at worst, it’s impossible. In countries such as the USA you can’t even open an account without a physical presence in the country.

The only realistic option used to be to ask your business bank to open a euro or dollar account for you, but those accounts were still based here in the UK and the banks often charged your customers to pay into it – and sometimes even charged you to take your money out.

World Account lets you run multiple, locally-based, local currency accounts quickly and for free.

Open a World Account today, and by tomorrow you could have your own AUD, CAD, GBP, EUR, JPY, NZD, SGD and USD accounts, each with its unique IBAN and account number.

No lengthy forms to fill in

Quick approval

No opening fees

No monthly charges

3 quick steps to local currency accounts

Step 1:
Take a few minutes to sign up now. Our team will be in touch within 24 hours to help you through the rest of the process.

Step 2:
Login to your new World Account and select the currency accounts you want – choose from GBP, AUD, CAD, GBP, EUR, JPY, NZD and USD – or all of them.

Step 3:
Watch your business soar. Once your multi-currency account is live, you can make payments – and get paid – in local currencies and enjoy great FX rates and avoid unnecessary bank fees.

Why WorldFirst?

We’ve been helping entrepreneurs to go global since 2004. Our simple commitment to making cross-border payments easier, simpler and cheaper has made us a regular partner for tens of thousands of businesses around the world. With free-to-open global currency accounts for businesses from WorldFirst, say hello to international business banking the way it should be.